Hurray it’s Friday…

From John 10:

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Friday : Lately it’s been a day of rejoicing. A sigh of relief. Feelings of “Whew! so glad that’s over!” flood my entire house as the week comes to an end. That’s how I’ve felt, and especially this past week I finished up with a bang!

All of it was small stuff that caused my angst, really – certainly when compared with the rest of the world’s tragedy it was almost nothing – but, for me when everything added up it was enough to push me right to the edge, if not completely over. I was so ready for the weekend by the time Friday afternoon rolled around…

I was making bread. It was Melody vs. the bread machine.

round 1- Melody places all of the ingredients into the bread machine’s bowl, preparing to make a lovely loaf of multi-grain bread. as she prepares to start the machine into the initial cycle she notices the paddle sitting on the counter. and since, the dough cannot be mixed or kneaded without the paddle all of the ingredients were dumped into the trash. bread machine was pronounced the winner of round one.

round 2 – After the children were situated into the proper places for afternoon quiet time, Melody took on the bread machine again – getting out all of the ingredients, placing the paddle in the bowl and measuring ingredients for a second time she hit the start button. Shortly into the first cycle, the bread machine seemed to mock Melody from the kitchen. As Melody peered into the window atop the bread machine it was clear bread machine was winning round two. There was no yeast in the dough. bread machine was declared winner of round two.

round 3 – Melody dashed around the kitchen, quickly gathering ingredients trying one more time to conquer this bread machine and have fresh bread for the weekend. She put the paddle in place, added all of the ingredients appropriately and hit the start button. Three hours later Melody was the winner when she pulled a loaf of piping hot fresh bread from the machine.

Well, this is how my whole week seemed to go. Barely a victory, living a step ahead of defeat, certainly thrilled for it all to be over. All weekend I’ve wondered if this is the way I’m supposed to live. Am I supposed to be so relieved at the end of a week? Ready for things to end, dreading the looming beginning of a new week? I don’t think so.

And let me say here – I understand that every victory, over the course of my crazy week, no matter how big or small, I should be grateful to the Heavenly Father and give Him glory. But there is more to it. I have come to realize that He is not a God who hopes to barely get me by in a pinch. He came to give me abundant life. He died and rose so that I could have a fresh beginning when I need it. The mercy and grace that He offers are more than enough to bring about His promise for a full life!

Yesterday I went to worship. In the afternoon when it was done and I was attempting to savor the songs we sang in my mind, I realized something. Once again, it is what my Heavenly Father has been trying to teach me for some time. But I am a slow learning. I don’t want to live life with a God who can hardly get me to Friday. No. I want to live with the glorious thought that I have a God who always has a fresh start for me on Sunday. Always. No matter what happens He offers the mercies of a new morning – another beginning.

With this thought in mind, I don’t have to gaze past my week, hoping and longing for Friday. No, I can look forward to the coming days and say with a grateful heart, rejoicing “Thank God, it’s Sunday!”